Confection packaging machine having confection conveying means and a horizontally arranged suction means for opening bags to receive the confections



Nov. 7, 1950 v. BLANCHARD CONFECTION PACKAGING MACHINE HAVING CONFECTION CONVEYING MEANS AND A HORIZONTALLY ARRANGED SUCTION MEANS FOR OPENING BAGS TO RECEIVE THE CONFECTIONS Filed May 20, 1949 Z'Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR V/Nsa/v 5L awe/Mel? 6am WWW ATTORNEYS Nov. 7, 1950 v. BLANCHAR'D 7 CONFECTION PACKAGING MACHINE HAVING CONFECTION CONVEYING MEANS AND A HORIZONTALLY ARRANGED SUCTION MEANS FOR OPENING BAGS TO RECEIVE THE CONFECTIONS Filed May 20, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 11 lull/[III I) I //v l/EN TOR V/wou BAH/(1679420 fzwflmm A T TORNE vs Patented Nov. 7, 1950 CONFECTION PACKAGING MACHINE HAV- ING CONFECTION CONVEYING MEANS AND A HORIZONTALLY ARRANGED SUC- TION MEANS FOR OPENING BAGS TO BE- CEIVE THE CONFECTIONS Vinson Blanchard, Abington, Mass.

Application May 20, 1949, Serial No. 94,343

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an automatic bagopening device, and more particularly to an automatic bag-opening device for an article-packaging machine.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel bag-opening device for packaging articles, as ice cream bars and the like, the bag-opening device being spring pressed for engagement with th bags in a magazine and actuated by a vacuum-operated piston for opening the bag.

Another object of this invention is to provide an efiicient bag-opening device of the kind to be more particularly described hereinafter, which is spring pressed into engagement with the end bag in a magazine and actuated by 3, Vacuum to bag-opening position, the bag being positioned for coacting with the opening device to effect the opening movement.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a bag-opening device of this kind which depends for its operation upon the relative positioning of the bag to be opened. Heretofore, directed streams of air under pressure have been directed toward the open end of the bag and the misdirection of the air stream or slight outof-line positioning of the end bag of a magazine would preclude the successive opening of the bags, thereby resulting in an inefficient packaging device requiring very close adjustment to obtain the operation. With the bag-opening device formed according to an embodiment of this invention, the bags will be successively opened on the magazine to receive an article to be contained therein and upon receiving the article the bag will be removed from the opening device resulting in the instantaneous actuation of the device for opening a following bag.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side leveation of a bag-opening device constructed according to an embodiment Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the bag-opening cylinder and piston of this invention, showing the piston rod. in engagement with a bag and the position of the piston and bag in the bag-opening position;

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of the bag-opening device showing the piston and piston rod in the eX- tended position prior to engagement with a bag to be opened;

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the bag-containing magazine, showing the bag-opening device in its proper position relative to the bags contained in the magazine and showing the bagopening device partly broken away and partly members M for sliding along the length thereof,

and is formed for securing a plurality of articles I6 to be packaged in the bags [1. The ice cream bars or candy it which are formed on a stick I8, are generally formed at the opposite end of the packaging machine it, and the plurality of articles it are carried by the carrier or conveyors 15 to the end of the packaging machine [0 shown in the drawings, at which time the separate articles iii are dropped from the carrier I5 into the opened bags l! and will fall from the bag-open ing device downwardly to a conveyor, not shown in the drawings, whence the packaged articles will be removed for storage or further ackaging for distribution.v A conveyor element or conveyor I9 is also formed on the packaging machine If! and engages the lower, ends of the ice cream bars 16 for moving the ice cream bars and the carrier along the length of the machine to the position where the bars or articles l5 will be released from the carrier 15.

A guide chute 2a is fixed on the. supporting member It by a bracket 2| and the upwardlyopening tubular guide member 20 is disposed in a position for receiving the endrnost article l6 as it is dropped or discharged from the carrie IS. The guide member 20 is substantially tubular in configuration, being open at the opposite ends thereof for guiding the article l6 as it is dropped from the carrier l5 into the bag ll which is supported in an open position below the lower open end of the funnel or guide member 20.

A bag-containing magazine 22 is supported on the packaging machine to below the carrier [5 and conveyor l3 and is provided for supporting a plurality of bags H in a position where the bags may be moved from their closed folded position to an open extended position for receiving the article iii. The magazine 22 is formed for supporting a, plurality of bags ll therein and includes segmental arcuate side members 22 for engagement along the side edges of the package of bags I? to be contained therein. Inturned lugs or fingers are carried by the segmental frame members 24 at their forward ends for engagement over the side edge of a portion of the foremost bag if in the package contained within the magazine. A depending lug or finger 26 is supported above the inwardly-extending fingers 25 for engagement with the upper transverse edge of the most forward bag H in the magazine. The depending lug or finger 26 is carried by a, suppcrting'frame 21 which is fixed at its rear end to the rear upper ends of the "segmental frame members 24 and extends over the top edge of the package of bags ll contained within the magazine 22.

The bags ll are of a substantially conventional configuration, being formed of a sheet of paper folded together to define a rear wall 29 and aforward wall 33. The front and rear walls 29 and 36 are either formed integrally along the side edges thereof or are secured together by other suitable fastening means, and the lower edges of, the front and rear panels "23 and 36 are secured together by folding the "forward panel 33 upwardly over the rear surface of the lower edge of the rear panel 29, as clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

To provide for the ready opening of the upper open end The upward extension 3! of the most bag H will only engage over the upper edge of the rear wall or panel 29, leaving the upper edge of the front panel 30 free to be moved fforwardly by the bag-opening device to be described hereinafter. As each of the bags I! has this extension at the upper edge thereof,,a

compact package of bags H .will provide a substantially arcuate package, and, therefore, the side bars 22 of the magazine 22 are formed in 1 an arcuate manner to substantially conform to the segmental configuration of the package of bags I! to be contained within the magazine.

1 'A follower 32 is swingably supported on the packaging machine If! and engages the rearmost bag I! in the package for pressing the package forwardly in the magazine for engaging the forwardmost bag with the retaining fingers or members 25 and 26.

v The foremost bag I! within the magazine 22 is supported in substantial vertical alignment with the guide member 20, whereby the bag H, when opened, will be suitably positioned for receiving the article l6 as it is guided through the guide member 20.

For opening the forwardmost bag I! in the magazine 22, I have provided a bag-opening device 34, which is adapted to be secured to the frame ll forwardly of the magazine 22 for engagement with the most forward bag l1. .As a

plurality of magazines 24 and article carriers l5 may be contained on a single packaging machine IU, there is provided a transverse supporting bar 35 which is fixed to the vertical supporting member II for supporting the bagopening devices 34 constructed according to an embodiment of my invention.

The bag-opening device 34 constructed according to an embodiment of this invention is formed of an elongated cylindrical body or casing 36 open at the opposite ends thereof having a cap or cover member 31 closing one end, the outer end, and a cap member 38 closing the other inner end. The cap 3! is threadably engaged over the outer threaded end of the cylinder 36 and is formed with a central aperture 39 therein within which a nipple or conduit means 40 may be engaged. The nipple 40 is securely fastened in the aperture or opening 39 and extends outwardly beyond the rear end of the cover 31. A suitable flexible tube 4|, or other suitable air or suction-conducting means is adapted to be connected to thejoutwardly-extending portion of the nipple 40 to provide a vacuum within the cylinder 36.

The cap 33 at the inner end of the cylinder 36 is threadably engaged on the inner end of the cylinder and is formed with a central aperture 42 therein through which the tubular piston rod 44, is adapted to be slidably engaged. Air vent openings 45 are also formed in the front wall of the cap 38 to provide for the proper venting ofv the cylinder 36 forwardly of the piston 46 upon sliding of the piston within the cylinder. A piston element 41 is fixed to or formed on the inner end of the tubular piston rod 44 and is formed with a central opening 48 in communication with the longitudinally-extending opening 49 through the center of the piston rod 44. The flongitudinally-extending opening 49 and the aperture 48 providela continuous passage through the length of the piston rod G4 and the piston 41' communicating the outside conditions with the outer end 56 of the cylinder 36. A stop element or, nut 5! is threadably engaged on the forward end of the piston rod 44 for suitable adjusted positioning along the length thereof, the stop element or nut 5| being engageable with the forward end of the cylinder 36, the forward wall of the cap 38, for limiting the inward'extension of the piston 41 and piston rod at as, effected bythe vacuumapplied to the cylinder 44 through the tubular'element, 4| and connector 43. A resilient coil spring 52 is contained within the cylinder 36 for constantly biasing the piston 4'! and piston rod 44 to outwardly-extending,extended position. The forward end of the coil spring 52 engages the inside or rear end of the piston 47 and the other or outer end of the spring 52 engages the inside wall of the outer cover member 31.

The cylinder. 36 is secured along the length of the supporting bar 35 by suitable supporting brackets 54 or other suitable" fastening and positioning devices which are fixedly secured along the length of the supporting bar 35. The bagopening device 34 is so positioned on the supporting bar 35 that the forward open end of the piston rod 44, in its fully-retracted position within the cylinder 36, will .be disposed in sub- 36 and piston 41 will constantly bias the piston 4'! and piston rod 44 outwardly through the inner open end for engaging the inner open end of the rod 44 with the front Wall 38 of the most forward bag I! contained within the magazine 22. The vacuum means, not shown in the drawings, may be then applied to the outer end 50 of the cylinder 36 for continually forming a vacuum in the outer end of the cylinder 35. With the piston rod 44 in its extended position, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, the front wall 39 of the most forward bag I! will engage the forward end of the rod 44 and close the opening therein, whereby the Vacuum within the cylinder 36 will draw the piston 41 inwardly of the cylinder. The vacuum will effect the secure fastening of the front wall 30 to the forward end of the piston rod 44 and as the front open end of the piston rod 44 is then closed, the

vacuum in the rear end of the cylinder 33 will draw the piston inwardly until stopped by the stop member 5| engaging the forward end of the cylinder. Upon retraction of the piston rod 44 within the cylinder 35, the front wall 9.5 of the bag I? will be moved forwardly in spaced relation to the rear wall 29, as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, and as the upward extension of the rear wall 29- is engaged in the retaining lug 26, the bag H will be suitably supported in its open condition below the articleguide-chute 20. As the articles are dropped from the carrier l5, they will be engaged through the guide member 29 and into the upper open end of each of the forwardmost bags 7 l1 and the weight of the article 16 within the bag 11 will effect the downward sliding of the bags I! out of engagement with the retaining lug 26 and out of engagement with the forward open end of the piston rod 44. The bag I"! con taining the articles I5 is then'dropped onto a suitable conveyor, not shown in the drawings, for conveying the packaged articles for further processing fordistribution. As the forwardmost bag l! is slid downwardly out of engagement with the retaining lugs 25 and 26 and out of engagement with the forward open end of the piston rod 44, the piston-retracting effect of the vacuum within the rear end 50 of the cylinder 36 is broken and the spring 52 will again press the piston 41 and piston rod 44 to outwardlyextending position for engaging the next and succeeding bags [1.

I do not, mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but

claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an article packaging machine, a first horizontally disposed conveyor adapted to support and convey a plurality of confections in upright position to the discharge end thereof, a second conveyor positioned in parallel spaced relation with respect to said first conveyor and engageable with the adjacent ends of said confections, a vertically disposed guide chute positioned adjacent the discharge end of said first conveyor, a magazine adapted to contain a plurality of bags in side by side vertical stacked position positioned below said first conveyor and said chute and facing toward said chute, and a horizontally disposed bag opening device having one end facing said magazine and mounted for movement toward and away from said magazine, said device comprising a horizontally disposed closed ended hollow casing positioned in 3 end to end relation with respect to said magazine and spaced from the latter, a piston positioned within said casing and mounted for sliding movement therein, a hollow piston rod extending through one of the closed ends of said casing and having one end extending through and secured to said piston, the other end of said piston rod projecting out of and terminating at a point beyond said one closed end of said casing, port openings formed in said one closed end of said casing, spring means positioned within said casing and having one end bearing against said piston and having the other end bearing against the other closed end of said casing for biasing the projecting end of said piston rod toward said magazine, and conduit means extending through the other end of said casing and adapted to be attached to a source of suction conducting means.

2.,In an article packaging machine, a first horizontally disposed conveyor adapted to support and convey a plurality of confections in upright position to the discharge end thereof, a second conveyor positioned in parallel spaced relation with respect to said first conveyor and engageable with the adjacent ends of said confections, a vertically disposed guide chute positioned adjacent the discharge end of said first conveyor, a magazine adapted to contain a plurality of bags in side by side vertical stacked position positioned below said first conveyor and saidchute and facing toward said chute, and a horizontally disposed bag opening device having one end facing said magazine and mounted I for movement toward and away fromsaid magazine, said device comprising a horizontally disposed closed ended hollow casing positioned in end to end relation with respect to said magazine and spaced from the latter, a piston positioned within said casing and mounted for sliding movement therein, a hollow piston rod extending through one of the closed ends-of said casing and having one end extending through and secured to said piston, the other end of said piston rod projecting out of and terminating at a point beyond said one closed end of said casing, port openings formed in said one closed end of said casing, spring means positioned within said casing and having one end bearing against said piston and having the other end bearing against the other closed end of said casing for biasing the projecting end of said piston rod toward said magazine, conduit means extending through the other end of said casing and adapted to be attached to a source of suction conducting means, and stop means on the projecting end of said piston rod and engageable with said one closed end of said casing for limiting the movement of said piston rod away from said magazine.

VINSON BLANCHARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

